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Tuesday, 19 January 2016

EFCC Investigate New Case Against Suswam Brought by Anonymous Petitioner

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Nigeria has opened a money laundering case against the former Governor of Benue State, Gabriel Suswam.

At the hearing of the case on Monday, an operative of the EFCC told a Federal High Court in Abuja that the petition, which Mr Suswam was indicted for, was an anonymous petition.

While testifying in the trial of the former Benue State Governor, Mr Junaidu Saidu, informed the court that the petitioner could not be located and the address provided on the petition does not exist.

Under cross examination, counsel to Mr Suswam, Joseph Daudu, also admitted that the email sent by the anti-graft agency to the petitioner was not delivered because the address does not also exist.

Mr Daudu told Justice Ahmed Mohammed that the EFCC attempted to invite the petitioner through the address provided on the petition for clarification on the allegation, but could not trace the petitioner.

He said the petition, which was titled ‘Truth Shall Overcome Evil Minds’ could not be associated with any person or organisation.

However, attempts by counsel to Mr Suswam to tender a Federal High Court judgment delivered in 2007 which held that the EFCC had no power to investigate the financial activities of a state government, was turned down by Justice Mohammed on the ground that it does not need to admit the judgment before taking a judicial notice of its content.

The EFCC had put Suswam on trial on the allegation that he sold off shares belonging to Benue State Investment and Property Limited worth nine billion Naira without the consent of the State House of Assembly and diverted the proceeds to personal use.